2027: Union Urges Tinubu to Redeem Promise on 2,000 CNG Tricycles

•Threatens nationwide protest

OnyebuchiEzigbo in Abuja

The National Commercial Tricycle and Motorcycle Owners and Riders Association (NATOMORAS), has appealed to President Bola Tinubu to make good his promise to deliver 2000 CNG-powered tricycles to its member nationwide.

NATOMORAS which claimed to be an affiliate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) said its members are angry – feeling used and dumped by administration after helping them during election.

It threatened to organize a nationwide protest if the administration continues to neglect them.

Addressing a Press Conference in Abuja, national president of NATOMORAS, AlhajiUsmanBubaGwoza, said the association is appealing to President Tinubu to ensure that the 2000 CNG tricycles are provided to members.

“It is disheartening to state here that millions of Nigerian youths and poor families who voted APC because of our campaign and grassroots mobilization, now find it difficult to trust and believe in our integrity as an association. We therefore feel used, we feel dumped, and we feel betrayed.

“Let us be clear, NATOMORAS is not begging. We are simply demanding that the federal government fulfills its own promise. We worked; we delivered. And now are being denied what we rightly deserve, “ he said.

Gwoza said that association had mobilized its members whom he claimed were about 18 million nationwide to work for the election of Tinubu and Shettima in the 2023 general election.

He said his members were promised federal appointments, financial support and tricycles to help empower them.

However, Gwoza said: “Today almost two years after, not even one of the promises made to NATOMORAS has been fulfilled.

“I stand before you today with heavy heart. I speak not just for myself, but for over 18 million registered members of the National Commercial Tricycle and Motorcycle Owners and Riders Association (NATOMORAS) men and women who own and ride tricycle and motorcycle across all the 36 states of Nigeria and the FCT.

“As an association we therefore feel used. We feel dumped and we feel betrayed,” he said

Gwoza who was flanked by placard-carrying members during the press conference said the association has made several efforts including letters to reach out to the President, the Vice President and other relevant officials to no avail

Some of placards carried protest messages such as: “18 million people await fulfillment of the 2000 CNG tricycles, federal government appointment promised us”; “We voted, we mobilized and we delivered, it’s time to fulfill your promise”.

On what the association plans to do if the government continues to ignore them, Gwoza said: “Our members are angry but we are peaceful people. We love Nigeria. We love this government. But if this silence continues, we will have no choice than to mobilize our members to peaceful protest nationwide”

Tracing its relationship with APC, Gwoza said that the association mobilized thousands of its members in April, 2022, during the national campaign flag-off of the party.

“Our members travelled from every corner of this country to show support for Tinubu-Shettima presidential ticket. We showed our numbers; we showed our strength and we stood tall for the APC.

“We were the only association of tricycle and motorcycle riders that publicly declared full support for the Tinubu/Shettima ticket and because of our visible support, APC created the Directorate of Community Transport made up Keke and Okada riders.”

Gwoza also said that he was appointed head of the Directorate of the Community Transport under the APC National Presidential Campaign Council.